Pino optioned to clear roster spot for Nolasco

Twins expected to recall right-hander from Triple-A for start in twin bill against Tigers

By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins optioned right-hander Yohan Pino to Triple-A Rochester to make room for right-hander Ricky Nolasco, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list to start Friday's game against the Royals.

Pino, 30, last started on Tuesday against the Astros, giving up seven runs on seven hits and a walk over 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander is 1-5 with a 5.37 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 12 walks over 55 1/3 innings in 10 starts with the Twins this season.

The tentative plan is to bring Pino back up to start a game in a doubleheader against the Tigers on Aug. 23, as the Twins are allowed to bring up a 26th player for the twin bill.

"He'll pitch a game down there and then we have a doubleheader against the Motown Tigers a week from tomorrow," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "So if it works out right, and he pitches well, we can bring him back to start that ballgame. So we'll let him go down there and pitch."

Nolasco, meanwhile, made his return to the mound after missing 32 games with a right elbow strain. He was originally placed on the 15-day DL on July 7.

"He's healthy," Gardenhire said. "He said it's the best his arm has felt in two years."

Twins want to monitor Buxton in Fort Myers

MINNEAPOLIS -- Top Twins prospect Byron Buxton, who sustained a concussion in an outfield collision on Wednesday, is scheduled to fly to Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday, so the Twins can carefully monitor his progress.

Buxton, ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect by MLB.com, was involved in a collision with Double-A New Britain teammate Mike Kvasnicka in right-center field in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game.

Buxton, who was playing in his first game with New Britain, was unconscious for 10 minutes and taken to the hospital after the collision.

Buxton is currently resting in New Britain, but the Twins want to be able to monitor him with their medical staff moving forward at their Spring Training complex in Fort Myers.

"We'll let him recover down there," Twins manager of Major League administration and baseball research Jack Goin said. "There's really no timetable. We've seen it in the past with concussions that you can't really put a time frame on it. But once he's healthy and able to do things, we'll let him do that. But he's really doing nothing right now."

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said he saw video of the play once the club landed back in the Twin Cities on Wednesday night. He said Buxton was fortunate to have only sustained a concussion on the play.

"That was scary," Gardenhire said. "I heard about it as we got off the plane the other night. I saw the replays of it. I think we're lucky. Those two young men, both Kvasnicka and him, were very lucky. It could've been worse. So we're thankful for that."